Deacon Connor Schmidt believes in saying ‘yes’ as he nears finish line

Archbishop William E. Lori will ordain five men to the priesthood June 20 at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland. The following is a profile of one of those future priests. New profiles of the other new priests will be added to the Catholic Review site daily from June 14 to June 18. Click here to read them. 

As a budding triathlete and former track and field performer, Deacon Connor Schmidt appreciates that he’s nearing the finish line in his journey to the priesthood.

“Nine years is a long time to do anything,” Deacon Schmidt said with a chuckle about his priestly formation process. “Truthfully, though, it’s all been such a blessing. It seems a little surreal, but I’m ready for the next chapter.”

The 27-year-old Philadelphia native, who spent most of his formative years in Frederick, knows a thing or two about commitment. He hails from a military family – father, Deacon John Schmidt Jr., is a Navy veteran and a psychologist; his three siblings, Emily, Nicholas and Mary, are active Navy officers; and his mother, Michele, is a statistical programmer for the Mayo Clinic.

His family, parishioners at St. Ignatius of Loyola in Ijamsville, played an important role in his discernment and as a support system during his nine years of formation.

“My parents have been incredibly supportive,” Deacon Schmidt said. “And my siblings have been so patient with me. The way they have supported me has been a real gift.”

He said the seeds to his journey to the priesthood sprouted when he was a 14-year-old living in Pittsburgh and was invited to that diocese’s Quo Vadis retreat.

“I was an oblivious 14-year-old, not liking our family’s move to Pittsburgh too much,” Deacon Schmidt said. “I was stuck and feeling lost. The experience changed my life.”

He says he had a personal encounter with the Lord during the retreat’s Liturgy of the Hours. He also said he was profoundly influenced by a sermon from a priest who didn’t find fulfillment as a Wall Street broker.

“I realized the Lord just wanted me to be happy. That was my lightning-rod moment,” he said.

Later after his family moved to Frederick and he was pondering a career in engineering, he decided to attend seminary instead of Virginia Tech.

“I started getting more involved in the Church when I was in high school, and realized I felt at home there,” he said.

After four years at the John Paul II Seminary in Washington, D.C., he finished his studies at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg. 

He said Father Erik Arnold, pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Ellicott City, and Father Michael DeAscanis, pastor at St. Louis in Clarksville, were particularly influential in his pastoral ministry as a deacon.

He finds time to relax and think about his ministry and craft homilies while he is training for his next triathlon, making use of the beautiful surroundings while he runs, bikes or swims.

“It’s so good for me,” he said. “Everyone needs a break, and it pulls me away from my work and allows me to stay mentally fit. Sometimes I get my best ideas for my homilies while I’m alone running or biking.”

He’s eager to minister as a parish priest.

“I think I’m looking forward to the ways the Lord works through me to give hope and joy to people,” Deacon Schmidt said. “The Lord wants to give us good things. It’s inspiring that I might be able to provide some of that hope and joy through the sacraments.”

He expects to be a little nervous the first time he celebrates Mass by himself, but he will stay focused on what got him to this point.

“Just say ‘yes’ to God,” he said. “A little yes will help you with the big things.”

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